Before I say or do anything else, I want to apologize to you on behalf of all other Christians and myself It is very obvious by what you have written in your article; 'Christians how to dead being," that we as Christians have let you down in many ways. As a matter of fact, you have probably been let down many more times by some who have responded to your article with letters or actions showing more hate than the love of God which they are to be representing.

You asked for a definition of a true Christian. So, I am going to attempt that first. A true Christian is someone who believes in Jesus Christ. I am not talking about just believing He was a man that lived about 2000 years ago or even just believing He is the Son of God. I am talking about believing that his death on the cross was the ultimate and final sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sins. I am talking about believing that He rose from the dead, conquering death, hell, and the devil, to give you new life. I am talking about believing that He has returned to Heaven and is now sitting on the right hand of the Father interceding for you because He loves you and He knows and understands how hard it is to walk in this world. I am talking about personally making the decision to ask for and accept His forgiveness for your sins and then choosing to live a life for him.

Unfortunately, too many people are calling themselves 'Christians" just because they own a Bible and go to church on Christmas and/or Easter or maybe even every Sunday, but have failed to or refused to live a life for Him the rest of the year. The church doors don't wash away sin. Nor does walking through them give one the right to call themselves a Christian. only a truly repentant heart that has opened its doors to Christ and been washed by His blood can claim such an honor. So, please, do not judge God or Christianity by these people.

The word Christian basically means 'Christ like." It means to walk as He walked; to live as He lived; to love as He loved; and to act as He acted Many of us as Christians have failed you and the rest of the world because we have forgotten this. We have forgotten His command to "Be ye HOLY, as I am HOLY." We have, at times, tried so hard to justify our sinful ways and habits that we have abused God's grace and mercy. We have used His grace as our excuse to live however we want and to do whatever we want. Hence, another reason we have so called "Christians" saying it is OK to drink, to smoke or chew, to cuss, to sleep around, to show prejudice etc. These things should not be so. We have forgotten that we are His temples and all of these things defile the temple. We would never paint "Satan rules" on our church walls. But we are doing worse than that every time we call ourselves Christians and then live an example that says otherwise. To you, the rest of the world, and more importantly to God we owe an apology. I hope we will do better in the future. So, please, do not judge God or Christianity as a whole because of these mistakes. God is still working on us to help us be all He has intended for us to be in His eyes.

I know a lot of people, good and bad, have been hurt by things that have happened in the world. I also know that many people blame or hold God responsible. It isn't possible for me to explain all the thoughts or ways of God to you. I have not the knowledge, understanding, or wisdom to do so. Nor can I defend every decision He has made or judgment He has passed on mankind. It is not up to me to do so. Therefore, I will leave these up to God. I cannot see into the hearts of man to know what he is thinking or planning, but God can. I cannot see into the future to know what man will do or what he is capable of doing, but God is. Ml I can tell you is that God created man with the ability and the right to choose. Whether that choice be good/holy or bad/evil, is up to us as individuals, and it is a right that God has promised us. Therefore, He refuses to take it away from us.

There is no doubt that this right of choice has caused God and man much heartache. A consequence or a blessing follows every choice. Sinful or worldly choices lead to bad consequences. Sadly, your choices don't always affect just you. They affect everyone around you or involved with you. Sometimes choices even affect the innocent bystander. Does that seem fair? No! But life isn't always fair. Christ sure didn't get what He deserved Does it mean that God deserves all  the blame? NO! It is man that chose sin originally and it is man that is still choosing it today. I, for one, refuse to blame God for something that I/WE am/are responsible. Does it mean that God has "pulled out?" NO! He is still the God that loves us so much that He is ready to change all our bad circumstances into good outcomes (We just have to call on Him.) By man's prejudice came slavery. But out of a slave boat came "Amazing Grace." By that same prejudice and hatred came the Civil War. Out of the Civil War came freedom for the slave. After the persecution of the Jews by Hitler, Israel grew back into a strong nation. But these good things took some time. We don't always get to see the good that God has brought forth out of our messes, but you would be surprised how often it occurs.

Why doesn't God just stop it all now? Because He doesn't want anyone to die/perish with out being given the chance to know and believe in Him. He wants all mankind to know how much He loves them and to have the opportunity to choose Him or reject Him. Talk about love, choosing to die for people you know will reject you anyway, that is true love. That is the love of God.

I am sorry your hurt. I am sorry for your anger. I am sorry that we who claim to be Christians fail to live consistently the way we should I am sorry for any mean or hateful words and actions that have come your way in the name of God. That is not His way. But there is one thing I do not, nor ever will, apologize for: that I, Jerry Albin, believe in' bow to, serve, and love a God that is very much alive and working in my life. How do I know that He is alive? I see Him every time I look out the window and see the beauty He has created I see Him, feel Him, and know Him every time I pray at an altar with someone who asks Jesus into his or her lives. You can't miss Him in their smile and tears of joy. I know His comfort and peace when the world tries to bring me down. I know His strength, courage, and anointing when I stand up to preach His word I know His forgiveness personally. But you want to know where I saw Him this past week? I saw Him in the tears of a man who has run from God more years than I have been alive. He was crying as I read your editor's column to him at church. He was crying as he told me how much he and the church felt I needed to write a response to your column. You see the reason he was crying is that he has seen first hand how God has moved in his life and he realizes the truth.

God isn't dead He is still alive today and working even in and around you. He loves you and the rest of the world very much. I may not be with the program this world prescribes. But I am with the winning program. I plan to stay with that program and I know many others who will do the same.

Sincerely,

Jerry Albin

And the Church of God of Prophecy

Joplin, MO